When people talk Mopar, the spotlight usually falls on the Charger Daytona, the ’Cuda, or the Road Runner. But Chrysler built plenty of cars that never got the same recognition—machines that carried big-blocks, Hemis, or special trim packages yet slipped into obscurity. Some were made in tiny numbers, others overshadowed by flashier stablemates. These rare Mopars may not headline auctions like the muscle icons, but each one represents a fascinating chapter in Chrysler’s performance playbook. Let’s take a closer look at seven of them that deserve to be remembered.
1969 Dodge Charger 500
Before the Daytona and Superbird ruled NASCAR, Dodge quietly tested the waters with the Charger 500. It featured a flush-mounted Coronet grille and a fastback rear window to cut drag, making it more competitive on superspeedways. Buyers could pick the 440 Magnum or the legendary 426 Hemi, with either a four-speed manual or TorqueFlite automatic.
Production totaled just 392 cars, making it far rarer than the winged cars that followed. Though it didn’t dominate headlines, the Charger 500 laid the groundwork for Mopar’s aero program and gave Dodge a crucial foothold in stock car racing.
1970 Plymouth Superbird Hemi 4-Speed
The Superbird itself is iconic, but Hemi/four-speed cars sit in another category altogether. Out of nearly 1,920 produced, only 135 carried the 426 Hemi, and just 58 were paired with a four-speed gearbox. Built to satisfy NASCAR homologation rules, its towering wing and extended nosecone gave it wind-cheating aerodynamics.
On the street, the 426 Hemi delivered 425 horsepower, but its real strength was high-speed stability above 100 mph. Today, these rare builds are considered the most desirable of the breed, bridging Mopar’s muscle car roots with its motorsport ambitions.
1968 Dodge Dart GTS 440
The Dart was never designed to swallow Chrysler’s 440 cubic-inch V8, but Mopar experimented anyway. Through a special low-volume program, a tiny run of 1968 Dart GTS 440s were built, essentially shoehorning big-block muscle into a compact A-body. Rated at 375 horsepower, the setup gave the Dart brutal straight-line punch at the expense of handling balance.
Production numbers were extremely small—sources suggest fewer than 50 were built—making it one of the rarest Mopar experiments of the late 1960s. While not a sales hit, it proved Chrysler’s willingness to put outrageous combinations into customer hands.
1966 Dodge Coronet 500 Hemi
The Coronet 500 was pitched as a comfortable mid-size cruiser, but a handful of buyers ordered it with Chrysler’s race-bred 426 Hemi. With dual four-barrels and a 425-hp rating, the Hemi made the Coronet 500 a sleeper. Properly set up, these cars could dip into the low 13s on the dragstrip, rivaling anything from Detroit.
Exact numbers are scarce, but Hemi-powered Coronet 500s were only a fraction of the 732 Hemi Coronets built in 1966. That makes them one of the more unusual Mopar blends—luxury trim married to all-out performance.
1971 Plymouth GTX 440 Six Barrel
By 1971, insurance rates and emissions rules were choking the muscle car market, but Plymouth still offered the GTX with the 440 Six Barrel. Its triple two-barrel carburetors produced 385 horsepower and huge low-end torque, keeping the big-block’s reputation intact.
Just 327 GTX Six Barrels were built for 1971, making them rare survivors of Mopar’s glory years. Aggressive styling, optional four-speeds, and serious performance hardware made the ’71 GTX one of Chrysler’s last true muscle standouts before regulations reshaped the performance landscape.
1969 Dodge Polara 500 Convertible 440
The Polara rarely gets mentioned in Mopar circles, but the 500 convertible gave full-size buyers muscle car flavor. A select number came equipped with the 440 Magnum V8, rated at 375 horsepower. Paired with bucket seats, console shifters, and Dodge’s wide-track stance, the Polara 500 convertible offered luxury cruising with surprising muscle.
Fewer than 600 Polara 500 convertibles of all engine types were built in 1969, and 440-equipped versions were only a fraction of that. Today, these cars are nearly impossible to find, a reminder that Mopar power wasn’t limited to B- and E-bodies.
1968 Plymouth Barracuda Hemi Super Stock
erhaps the most outrageous of the forgotten Mopars, the Hemi Super Stock Barracudas were never meant for the street. Built strictly for NHRA Super Stock racing, just 50 were produced in 1968. They featured fiberglass front body panels, acid-dipped shells, and gutted interiors to keep weight down.
Under the hood sat Chrysler’s 426 Hemi, underrated at 425 horsepower but capable of much more. Properly tuned, these cars ran quarter-mile times in the 10s—mind-blowing for the late ’60s. Brutally fast and vanishingly rare, the Hemi Barracuda SS remains one of Mopar’s most legendary factory drag machines.
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